If the Deputy had given me an indication that he was going to raise a single school in Cork, I would have been in a position to perhaps answer his question. He did not. What I am able to do is to give an indication of the absolute commitment the Government has to trying to make more special classes and schools available. There are 3,336 special classes in operation nationwide to do what we can to support those who, early in life, need the educational support. They deserve it and we are working hard to give it. For this school year alone, more than 400 new special classes have been sanctioned on top of the 1,700 that have been sanctioned in the past five years and the 11 new special schools that have been opened, with five more to come. That is our commitment and I am sure the Minister for Education will be working and doing her best regarding the important school in Cork.
Sentiment score: 0.41
I genuinely thank Deputy Smith for raising an extremely important issue. As we see, the way in which the world conducts itself and the rules it depends on can be changed and challenged. We should redouble our efforts to ensure those who have the very least do not pay the most, which is a risk due to the decision that regrettably has been made with regard to USAID. Deputy Smith asked what we are doing about it. The Minister, Deputy Carroll MacNeill, will be at the United Nations next week as part of her St. Patrick's Day bilateral engagement. We will engage with the United Nations on this issue to see what support we can offer. We have many bills coming in but I assure the Deputy we will do our best on this issue. Second, regarding the two programmes we jointly fund with USAID in Zambia and Malawi, and I have been in Malawi itself and know how much it needs this support, we are looking at what options or decisions we can take to support those projects.
Sentiment score: 0.40
I thank the Deputy. He and I are really lucky to represent the north side of the city centre. I agree with him about the importance of that report. I am meeting a number of councillors on a cross-party basis from Dublin City Council tomorrow on this issue. I can see the changes that are happening in the city centre. I can see more gardaí. I can see the efforts the city council is making to keep it cleaner and safer. The Deputy will also be aware of the opening of the new healthcare facility by the Rotunda in the heart of our city centre.
Sentiment score: 0.26
That, Deputy Gannon, is indeed funding. It is evidence of the commitment we have to make a difference. In conjunction with our budgetary process, which is the way all these things have to come together, we will look at how we can support that report and make sure it gets the funding it needs, just as we have done with the north inner city task force
Sentiment score: 0.33
Deputy Murphy is raising an important issue. The welfare of horses is critical to the future of our breeding industry here in Ireland and we also need to ensure the right standards are adhered to to fulfil the commitments we have to animal welfare. I will have to revert to the Deputy, and I will, with a detailed answer to his question because it is important and I do not have a briefing in front of me today that allows me to give the answer the Deputy's question deserves.
Sentiment score: 0.20
It is really important we have two Deputies here today raising an issue that is so important to global welfare and to many countries that need further support at this time of difficulty. Deputy Ó Fearghaíl asked two questions. The first is about our commitment. I confirm that we will uphold the commitments we have at the moment. Unfortunately, that is not the case for every country at the moment due to the pressure they face, but we will protect the commitments we have to investment in multilateral bodies and our overseas development aid. In conjunction with the Minister, Deputy Chambers, we will do what we can to build upon them. To answer the Deputy's second question, I will be making the case for this to my colleagues but I appreciate that many of them are facing moments of great danger and risk and are having to make hard choices, which just adds to the responsibility of Ireland to do our bit to make a case for this funding and to add to it where we can.
Sentiment score: 0.26
I agree with the Deputy. I disagree with him that the programme for Government does not contain a reference or a commitment in relation to that. It does.
Sentiment score: 0.12
The Deputy is correct that we have to accelerate our path to energy self-sufficiency and do that through green energy. The three ways in which we will do it are: first, through the support of MARA and the implementation of the new planning framework off the shores of our country; second, by continuing to put in place the investment that we are committed to putting in place in our ports and directly, where we can, into the energy sector to allow private sector investment to flourish; and third, through the co-operation we can have with the United Kingdom and the European Union to deliver very large projects. I am pleased that this kind of co-operation was discussed by Prime Minister Starmer, the Taoiseach and their ministerial teams this morning. That kind of co-operation is vital.
Sentiment score: 0.52
I acknowledge the role that Deputy McCarthy is playing in trying to support the development of the IDA site in Fermoy. I agree with him regarding the potential it has and the important role it could play in supporting jobs in his community. The IDA is committed to looking at how good and productive use can be made of this site. While it has received some approaches, that has not yet translated into the jobs the Deputy is looking for and that should be available. I will raise the issue. The IDA is aware of it but I will also make sure that the Minister, Deputy Peter Burke, is aware of the point that the Deputy has raised today. The IDA will continue to work with large employers to identify how we can make use of the site and lands to get more jobs into the Deputy’s community and ensure that international employers continue to want to be present in Cork. I thank Deputy McCarthy for his work in this regard. I will make sure the Minister and the IDA are aware of it.
Sentiment score: 0.39
I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. I know that is the commitment with regard to the publication of these important guidelines. I am not aware if there is any reason why that deadline will not be met but I also know there is a new Minister in that Department, and I am sure the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, will want to consider this issue carefully. I am sure he will want to publish them as soon as possible and having the Deputy raise this in the House today will only add to his awareness of it as an important matter. I am sure it will happen soon. I will make sure that the Minister, Deputy O'Brien, is aware that Deputy Kerrane has raised the matter.
Sentiment score: 0.45
It is important to emphasise that the fact those lines have not yet been connected is not because the Government does not care. It is because a huge amount of damage was done.
Sentiment score: -0.22
We have been successful in working through the regulator and the Department to see the majority of the connections repaired. I agree with the Deputy that for anybody to be in a situation where they do not have contact with loved ones, their local community or the health service is a significant problem. I will ensure that the Minister, Deputy O’Brien, is aware of this issue. I know that huge efforts were made to bring back connections as soon as possible and to put back in place vital infrastructure, but we have to keep going until everybody is connected.
Sentiment score: 0.49
I am aware of the bad news that the Deputy’s county has had to confront in terms of job losses. I know the IDA, Enterprise Ireland and the LEOs will work hard to support those who are losing their jobs at a moment when there is already uncertainty across the world. With regard to Offaly, I want to reassure Deputy Nolan and the communities and constituents she represents of the commitment that the Ministers, Deputy Peter Burke and Deputy Dara Calleary, have to balanced regional development and the investment in place behind that. I know, of course, that the Deputy will want to see proof of that so those who have lost a job have confidence they can get another job. That is why the State agencies will work hard to create an environment in which that can happen.
Sentiment score: -0.01
To return firstly to the previous matter raised by Deputy Michael Murphy, I acknowledge that he has been raising his issue with me but as the Minister for Health is here, I thought a direct response from her was perhaps more helpful to him. In response to Deputy O'Shea, I acknowledge the importance of the issue and thank him for raising it. I know an awful lot of work has happened on this. Funding for rural transport went from €12 million to €57 million in 2024. It is planned to put in place significant improvements to this service this year. The NTA is engaging with Bus Éireann on this matter. It has informed me that it will be able to introduce the enhancement in the coming months. I will follow up with it to find out the date of the announcement and to make sure it is aware of the Deputy's interest in and support for this proposal.
Sentiment score: 0.30
Yesterday, the Government made a commitment regarding a State facility. It made this commitment in order to ensure we will have available to us emergency reserves that could be used if we find ourselves in a position where supply into our country is in some way threatened. We want to identify if there is any role for the private sector with regard to this. I emphasise that the announcement the Government made yesterday is about a State-led and State-owned facility. For me, that is the key point.
Sentiment score: 0.09
I thank the Deputy for raising this issue in relation to Graiguenamanagh. The introduction of these flood relief schemes does two things. Firstly, it increases confidence in moments of flood risk. Secondly and most importantly, these schemes work. I have experience of flooding in my constituency on a very different scale from other parts of the country. I have seen at first hand the harm and stress it causes. The work of the OPW is really important in terms of the larger flooding events we are trying to avoid. I confirm that funding is available to the OPW to move forward on these projects, as the Deputy acknowledged in his question. We are aiming to change and have changed our planning system so that key projects like this are in a position to move forward. I will ensure that the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, is aware of the issue in Graiguenamanagh raised by the Deputy and ask him whether anything more can be done about it. I will pass on the Deputy's support for the project.
Sentiment score: 0.20
The Government has redoubled its efforts regarding dereliction. The previous Government did so with the introduction of a number of grants that are being used in a very successful way to turn derelict properties into homes. There is a derelict sites register that is used at the moment. I am sure Galway County Council does not lack will regarding the issue. It sounds like the hotel mentioned by the Deputy is of a bigger scale than a mere home. I will pass on this issue to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage and its local authority unit to see what can be done. At the bare minimum, any site like that should be made secure and should not be adding to any difficulties that a community is facing.
Sentiment score: 0.30
I am going to deal with this issue because it is an issue of such importance to Deputy Burke. He has raised it with me on a number of occasions in addition to raising it with the Minister for Health. As he knows at the moment the capitation fees that are paid to GPs in respect of nursing home residents are the highest paid in respect of any patient recognising the complexity of health needs that I know Deputy Burke will understand probably better than I do. I know this is a difficult issue because we need to find ways in which we can meet the care needs of nursing home residents but we also know the demands on GPs at the moment and the challenges they are already facing. The Deputy has raised this issue with me and the Minister of Health today. We will look to see if any steps can be taken which are affordable and sensible that will better meet the needs the Deputy is referring to. He is right because if we do not meet these needs, the health needs of patients only grow and the functioning of nursing homes becomes more difficult.
Sentiment score: 0.22